[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Question: Is coral-vine or queen’s wreath hardy? If not, how can I protect the vine for the winter? Answer: Freezes may kill the top of the vine. but if you mulch it well with straw it will grow strong next spring.

Question: Around several of my flower beds I have an edging of alternanthera which I like very much. Is there any way I can propagate this plant for use next year or must I buy new plants each spring? Answer: Pot up a few stock plants just before frost and place them where they will […]

Question: Can hemlock be propagated by layering? Answer: Yes. This is how it’s done: Bend a branch of the tree down to earth. Cut a notch on the underside of the branch 1 foot from the tip. Then bury the notched portion 2 inches deep in a spot that has been filled with moist peat-moss. […]

Question: How can one tell the difference between Colorado blue and green spruces? Is there any way besides the color? Will aluminum sulfate change a green spruce to blue? LM, Wisconsin. Answer: The Colorado spruce, Picea pungens, when grown from seeds produces all graduations of color from green to blue. Only a few will be […]

Question: We have several large tree stumps in our yard that cause a constant rise of unsightly toadstools. What can we do to stop these? Will we have to remove the trunks? E.F., Ohio. Answer: The toadstools are a saprophytic fungi that live on the dead remains of other plants, in this case the tree […]

Question: Should the underground roots of dahlias, tuberoses and cannas be taken up, divided and stored indoors at this time? At what temperature should they be kept, and how moist should they be? SB., Minnesota. Answer: Dahlia tubers should be dug in October after the first frost, and stored, without dividing the clumps, in boxes […]

Question: I have several climbing roses that have grown very tall, and they are out of hand in my garden. Should they be pruned now, or must I wait until next spring? MCW., Missouri. Answer: If you desire you may remove a few old canes, and dead and weak wood from the climbing roses this […]

Question: We have just moved to a new house, and the yard does not have anything planted in it—no trees, shrubs, flowers, or grass. What would you suggest that we plant this fall to get a head start for next year? BY, Iowa. Answer: The first and most important landscape problem is a planting plan. […]

Question: Why is it that my tulips produce just two leaves and no flowers? The leaves are large and healthy, and though the soil is poor, I dig the bulbs every other year and work fertilizer into the bed. SM, Illinois. Answer: After the blooming season, the tulip bulb has the task of producing a […]

Question: Last spring I moved to a house that has a well established perennial border. There are many Tulips and daffodils in the planting, and although they bloomed well, the blossoms were very small. When I began to dig in the borders, I found the bulbs not more than two inches below the top of […]